Apple today announced Apple Arcade, a new subscription-based games service for mobile, desktop, and the living room, featuring hundreds of titles from top video game publishing houses including Disney, Sega, Lego, Cartoon Network, and Konami.
A subscription to Apple Arcade includes access to over 100 new and exclusive games that can be played both online and offline across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, and the whole family can play using Family Sharing with one subscription fee.
Apple Arcade will have a dedicated tab on the App Store, and games will be curated by Apple's team of App Store editors. Apple says the emphasis will be on personalized recommendations, and Apple promises that Apple Arcade games cannot collect any data about the user without consent.
All Apple Arcade games will be all-you-can-play experiences, with all features, content, and updates included at no extra charge, and with no ads or in-app purchases necessary.
"The App Store is the world's biggest and most successful game platform. Now we are going to take games even further with Apple Arcade, the first game subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room," said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "We are working with some of the most innovative game developers in the world to create over 100 new and exclusive games to play across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. Apple Arcade games will be great for families, respect user privacy and will not have ads or require any additional purchases. We think players of all ages are going to love Apple Arcade."
Apple Arcade will launch in fall 2019 in more than 150 countries across iOS, macOS and tvOS. Apple is asking developers interested in being considered for Apple Arcade to visit developer.apple.com/apple-arcade.
Apple today revealed a brand new service called "Apple Card," a new digital and physical credit card that users will be able to sign up for right from their iPhone. Apple says this sign-up process takes just a few minutes and then they can start using the Apple Card right away in stores, in apps, or online worldwide. Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard for Apple Card.
After spending, Apple Card will give users simple real-time views of their latest transactions and balance in the Wallet app. Apple Card uses machine learning and Apple Maps to label transactions with merchant names and locations. Purchases are then automatically totaled and color coded through categories like Food and Drinks, Shopping and Entertainment, and more.
At the end of each week and month, the Wallet app will show what users spent to help visualize their past finances. The company will also provide 24/7 customer support through Messages.
Anyone who uses Apple Card will receive a percentage of every purchase amount back as "Daily Cash," the card's rewards program. Every time users pay with Apple Card they will receive 2 percent Daily Cash back, and if they make a purchase directly with Apple they'll get 3 percent Daily Cash back. Daily Cash is immediately added to the user's Apple Cash card in the Wallet app, and can be used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted.
Apple Card has no fees associated with it, and the company says that "Apple Card’s goal is to provide interest rates that are among the lowest in the industry and if a customer misses a payment, they will not be charged a penalty rate."
As with Apple's other services, the company promises that Apple Card is completely secure and private.
A unique card number is created on iPhone for Apple Card and stored safely in the device’s Secure Element, a special security chip used by Apple Pay. Every purchase is secure because it is authorized with Face ID or Touch ID and a one-time unique dynamic security code. The unique security and privacy architecture created for Apple Card means Apple doesn’t know where a customer shopped, what they bought or how much they paid.
There will also be a physical Apple Card for shopping at locations where Apple Pay is not accepted. The card is made out of titanium, has no card number, no CVV, no expiration date, and requires no signature.
Apple Card launches in the United States this summer.
Apple's "It's show time" event at the Steve Jobs Theater on the company's Apple Park campus begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time), and following several hardware announcements last week, we're expecting Apple to focus on services today.
The two key services we're expecting to see unveiled today are a news and magazine subscription service and a new streaming television service that will ultimately include not only Apple's own original content but also allow users to easily subscribe to other services such as Starz, Showtime, and perhaps HBO.
Apple may also be planning to unveil several new Apple Pay features, including a rumored Apple-branded credit card issued in partnership with Goldman Sachs. Last-minute rumors have also suggested we could see something about a gaming-related subscription service.
Following the event, we should see the release of iOS 12.2, perhaps adding support for Apple's magazine and news service, as well as bringing Apple News to Canada, new Animoji characters, HomeKit TV support for third-party TVs, and more. Additional updates in the form of macOS 10.14.4, watchOS 5.2, and tvOS 12.2 are likely also coming today.
In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage—no need to refresh—and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds.
Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
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Apple's "It's Show Time" event will kick off shortly at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The event will see the unveiling of Apple's long-rumored streaming TV service as well as its updated and enhanced Apple News subscription platform. Other potential talking points from the company include additions to Apple Pay and a new gaming service.
Apple Events app on tvOS
To be sure that you don't miss any part of the event, we've put together this helpful guide to outline when it takes place and where you can watch it streaming online. Of course, you can expect MacRumors to provide full live coverage of today's event as well.
Event starting time: 10:00 am Pacific Time / 1:00 pm Eastern Time / 5:00 pm GMT
Watch on web (video): Head to Apple's Events page and stream the event directly from your laptop, desktop, smartphone, or tablet (streaming now supports Firefox and Chrome).
Watch on web (live blog): If you're busy at work or school, you'll be able to rely on MacRumors' live coverage for up-to-the-minute updates from the event by keeping our event live blog open in a nearby window.
Watch on Twitter: You can also follow our @MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Watch on TV: For anyone at home or near an Apple TV, the Apple Events tvOS app is the best way to watch these events on a big screen. You can use the Siri Remote to voice search "Apple Events app" on the tvOS App Store.
Watch later without spoilers: If you want to avoid spoilers from the event, check out our spoiler-free article where you can find out when Apple's video replay goes live.
Otherwise, we will be posting regularly throughout the event, and you'll be able to find those updates on our front page and our regular @MacRumors Twitter account.
Darkroom for iOS, a popular photo editing app, today received a major update that adds a lot of new functionality to improve the way it interacts with the iPhone and the iPad.
In the Photos app, you will find a new photo editing extension for using Darkroom's tools to edit images without leaving the Photos app. You can tap on the (...) menu when editing an image to get to the Darkroom settings.
A new Share Extension within the Photos app will allow you to choose an "Edit in Darkroom" feature to open up Darkroom from Photos for the full editing experience. There's also a Copy to Darkroom feature that you can use to transfer images from apps like Dropbox or Files over to Darkroom for editing purposes.
On the iPad, Drag & Drop support has been implemented, so you can drag and drop photos into the Darkroom library to start a photo editing session while in Split-View mode on a supported device. You can Drag & Drop a single photo or multiple photos.
When using Darkroom, the Album Picker in the app has been updated to work with the Files app, so you can browse various images that you've stored in files or in third-party storage apps like Dropbox. Imported files are stored in a new Imported Smart Album.
Many other small improvements have been added to Darkroom, including sorting photos by Date Added, Batch tool enhancements on the iPad, better responsiveness, and a change that disables location data by default.
Darkroom can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but unlocking all of the app's tools will cost $9.99. [Direct Link]
Apple's "It's show time" media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern today, and some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements.
Amazon has kicked off the week with new low prices on Apple's iPad Pro models from 2018, discounting the tablets by as much as $200 off their original prices. Models on sale include the Wi-Fi only versions of the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These iPad Pros were updated in 2018 with an edge-to-edge display, Face ID, Apple Pencil 2 support, up to 1TB of storage, an A12X processor, and more. Amazon's sales today represent the lowest price available for each model, and in a few cases Best Buy provides a better discount.
Apple customers who ordered new AirPods last week on the same day they were announced have been receiving shipping notifications over the weekend with delivery dates beginning Tuesday, March 26.
People who ordered the second-generation AirPods on Wednesday as soon as they appeared on Apple's online store were quoted delivery dates between March 26-28. Looking at the AirPods order status thread on the MacRumors forums, some customers in the US are saying they have subsequently been given March 27 as a confirmed ship date, but this seems to depend on which courier they've been assigned.
There are a few scattered reports in the UK of customers receiving Monday delivery dates from some couriers, which means their AirPods could potentially arrive before Apple's "It's Showtime" event, scheduled to take place later today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (or 5.00 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time) at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, Cupertino, California.
However, given that the new AirPods require OS versions that Apple has yet to publicly release, they probably won't be able to use all the new features until later in the day. The second-generation AirPods require iOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2, and macOS Mojave 10.14.4, and Apple is expected to release these updates during or shortly after its services-focused keynote.
Apple's new second-generation AirPods don't have any of the exciting new features that were rumored like a new black color and health updates, but they're a solid upgrade over the previous version.
There's a new H1 wireless chip inside that powers hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality so you don't need to tap to access the voice assistant. The AirPods are also able to switch between devices two times faster when playing music, and there's an extra hour of talk time, bringing total talk time to three hours.
The new Wireless Charging Case allows the AirPods to charge using Qi-based wireless charging accessories, and it perhaps heralds the upcoming launch of the AirPower.
As of today, AirPods shipping time on Apple's online store is listed as 3-5 business days, with a 7-10 day wait for AirPods with Wireless Charging Case. Apple will likely have some stock of the new AirPods models in its retail stores later this week for those who were unable to order and receive a March delivery date.
We've been watching the stream at a glance for around six hours now, over which time we've seen everything from people cleaning the stage to a video of a dancer to an incoming iPhone call from Captain America actor Chris Evans. Marvel fans will be disappointed to hear that Apple missed the call.
Update: NBA star Kevin Durant may be at the Apple Event tomorrow based on the latest teaser of an iMessage conversation with Tim Cook. Apple is working on an original series about Durant's early life for its streaming video service.
Steve Jobs Theater live stream fun continues…@tim_cook: So you're at Apple Park?@KDTrey5: Yeah.
Kevin Durant at the Apple Event tomorrow? Apple ordered a TV series about the NBA star's early life for its streaming video service. pic.twitter.com/ihUB120DFA
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) March 24, 2019
As we've heard previously, the report claims Apple plans to unveil the first footage from some of its new original TV shows at the event. Hollywood stars such as actress Reese Witherspoon and director J.J. Abrams have been invited to attend.
The report claims Apple plans to charge a fee for its original content, despite some sources previously saying it would be free to Apple device owners.
Apple's revamped TV app will make it easier to subscribe to networks such as Starz, Showtime and HBO, with which Apple has been "negotiating to offer their shows to users for $9.99 a month each." It's unclear if that means each network will cost $9.99 per month or if each user will pay $9.99 per month total.
Apple is said to be negotiating to bring its new TV app to multiple platforms, including Roku and smart TVs. This could refer to an expansion of the new iTunes movies and TV shows app coming to Samsung's latest smart TVs to other leading TV brands such as Sony and LG and to cheaper brands such as TCL and Sharp via Roku.
Apple is also expected to unveil a revamped News app with an optional premium tier that provides access to more than 200 magazines, including Bon Appétit, People, and Glamour, as well as newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal. The report claims Apple plans to charge $9.99 per month for the service.
The revamped Apple News app is expected to be based on Texture, the magazine subscription service that Apple acquired last year. The report claims The Washington Post and The New York Times are not participating in the service at launch due to disagreements over Apple's alleged 50-50 revenue split.
The report goes on to mention how Apple CEO Tim Cook began holding monthly meetings with Apple's services division around late 2017 as the company aims to grow its revenue from existing subscription offerings such as Apple Music and iCloud storage.
These meetings are said to include "monitoring of apps that benefit and threaten Apple":
For Mr. Cook's monthly services meetings, the company has intensified monitoring of apps that benefit and threaten Apple. The team has created a release radar for the CEO to track apps that are expected to sell well and other metrics for the apps that have challenged Apple's business, including iTunes sales decreases compared with Apple Music subscription growth…
Apple's video and news subscription offerings will certainly help the company expand its service portfolio further, but its exact plans are still clouded in secrecy. In less than 24 hours, we'll have a better understanding.
A previously reported "Netflix for Games" subscription service that Apple has been working on may be shown at the Apple Event scheduled for Monday, March 25.
Bloomberg reports that beyond Apple's news and video services which are expected to debut on Monday, Apple may be ready to unveil a similar gaming service.
Apple is also working on a premium games subscription for its App Store and discussing it with potential partners, according to people with knowledge of the plans. This service won’t take on new cloud-based streaming offerings like Google Stadia. Instead, it will focus on iPhones and iPads and bundle together paid games from different developers that consumers can access for a monthly fee.
The monthly service fee would be divided amongst the games in the service based on how much time is spent in each game. The service would likely focus on paid games rather than the popular free-to-play genre.
Bloomberg isn't certain the service will debut Monday, but Apple has certainly cleared the way for a focus on new services for the event. Earlier this week, Apple quietly debuted new AirPods, iMacs, and iPads.
Japanese blog Mac Otakara posted a new report tonight which indicates that Apple will maintain the Lightning connector on the 2019 iPhones but may finally be including an 18W Fast Charger and USB-C to Lightning cable.
In addition, the next iPhone seems to continue to adopt the Lightning connector, but the charging cable has been changed to the USB-C to Lightning cable, and it seems that the attached power adapter may also be changed to the Apple 18W USB-C power adapter is.
The inclusion would represent an upgrade to the currently shipping 5W USB adapter. The 18W adapter allows fast charging with iPhone X charging from 1 percent to 79 percent in one hour.
This rumor actually contradicts a previous report by the same site which expected Apple to retain the 5W adapter. Mac Otakara also reiterates Ming-Chi Kuo's claim that this year's iPhones will have the ability to wirelessly charge other devices.
Apple will debut its rumored television service on Monday, and ahead of the event, The Washington Post has shared some new details on the planning that has gone into Apple's TV service.
When deciding how to distribute its original television content and at what cost, Apple reportedly considered offering free television shows to customers who paid the extra fee for AppleCare for their Mac and iOS devices.
Apple also considered an offering through the Apple TV, and recent rumors have suggested that the content Apple offers will actually be provided through the TV app on iOS devices and the company's set-top box. There's also a possibility that Apple will distribute its content outside of its own platform as well, which is something else the company has mulled.
Apple's plans are still not clear to industry insiders and Hollywood executives, and one source that provided the above info to The Washington Post said that Apple's plans have changed multiple times.
"Whatever they try to sell on Monday, it's not what they started with and they are trying to figure out what kind of engine to put in while the plane is in the air," the executive said.
Film and TV creators who are working with Apple have been left in the dark about the company's plans and do not know if content will be exclusive to Apple users or available to everyone. Creators received "obfuscation and ambiguous responses" when asking about distribution, with some speculating that Apple may not have made up its mind about the finer details of the streaming service.
"Apple is the only company in the world that can drop a couple million dollars in entertainment and get Reese Witherspoon and M. Night Shamalayan on board without any articulation of a plan in terms of marketing or distribution," said one well-connected Hollywood executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to upset Apple.
Recent reports from The Information and Recode have suggested Apple may be planning to offer its own content in the TV app at no cost as a way to lure Apple users to purchase subscriptions for other services, such as Showtime or Starz, within the TV app.
Apple plans to offer a range of different content from various content partners, and has plans to provide bundles of cable channels. These partnerships are said to be the true focus of Apple's TV service, and what will drive up the company's services revenue.
As we've previously heard, Apple has invested millions of dollars in its original television shows. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, who will star in a morning show drama tentatively called "The Morning Show," are being paid approximately $1.1 million per episode each.
While there have been mixed rumors about Apple's efforts to control the content that's released on its platform, Apple has been willing to create "edgy" shows. One person involved with Apple said Apple executives in Cupertino have stayed out of the creative process.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has, however, "passed notes" to writers on Apple shows through Apple's Hollywood team because Tim Cook, as we've heard before, is aiming to protect Apple's brand and reputation. Apple, for example, shelved "Vital Signs," a show starring Dr. Dre, as was reported earlier last year. Apple could perhaps release this show sometime later, according to sources that spoke to The Washington Post.
Apple will answer at least some of the questions about its streaming service plans on Monday, March 25, which is when its "It's Showtime" event will take place. The event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with MacRumors planning to offer live coverage both on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Every year, Apple typically holds three or four events to unveil new products. There's often a spring event around March or April, the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, a September event focused on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and sometimes, an October or November event that features Macs and iPads.
In this guide, we're tracking the Apple events that are on the horizon, including what we're expecting to see at each one. Make sure to check in regularly, because we'll be updating this guide on a regular basis.
Fall/Winter 2025 Possibilities
Apple's major product refreshes are finished for the year, but there may be a few devices that could launch before the end of 2025.
Fall 2025 Event
Most of Apple's major product refreshes are finished for the year, but there are still a few devices that we are expecting before the end of 2025.
The Apple TV will get an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is likely the N1 that debuted in the iPhone models. It's also expected to get a faster A17 Pro processor that will enable console-quality games on the Apple TV. There are no design changes rumored for the next-generation Apple TV.
Apple will refresh the HomePod mini in late 2025, adding a faster S-series chip (likely the S10) and the same Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that's coming to the Apple TV. New color options are also likely.
The AirTag 2 that's coming in 2025 could have a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for improved range, allowing the AirTag to be located from further away. Apple is also going to make the speaker harder to remove, so the AirTag won't be able to be used for secret tracking with no sound alerts.
The iPhone 16e came out in early 2025, so it makes sense that a second-generation version is rumored for early 2026. The iPhone 17e could feature an updated A19 chip that matches the chip in the iPhone 17.
The iPad Air is due for an update in early 2025. Apple has so far given it an M-series chip one generation behind the current chip in the iPad Pro, so with the iPad Pro set to get the M5, the iPad Air could get the M4.
The low-cost iPad is due for a refresh with an updated A-series chip. Apple doesn't make major changes to the iPad often, so it isn't clear if there will be any design updates.
Apple could introduce a new version of the Studio Display in 2026. Rumors suggest the next-generation version will have a mini-LED display with improved contrast and HDR, but the same 27-inch display size. It could also get the A19 Pro chip that's in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Apple plans to update the Mac Pro sometime in 2026. It will be equipped with the highest-end version of the M4 chip, which could be either an "Ultra" or "Extreme" M4 chip. The Mac Pro is also expected to support up to 512GB Unified Memory, a new maximum.
Products With Unknown Release Dates
There are some upcoming products that have a less clear launch date.
There are no specific rumors of a Mac mini refresh, but if the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are getting M5 chips, the Mac mini is likely to see an update too.
There are also no rumors about a Mac Studio update, but it could be refreshed alongside the Mac Pro and the Mac mini. There are rumors of a new display coming in 2026, and it would make sense for the display to come out alongside new Apple desktop machines.
Apple is working on a smart home display that will serve as a central hub for controlling smart home products. It's said to measure in at around six inches by six inches, and the idea is to have multiple in the home. The device will run Apple apps, and it will be able to be used for FaceTime calls. The Command Center was initially expected in the spring, but with delays to Siri Apple Intelligence features, it's been delayed until sometime in 2026.
Apple is working on a more affordable version of the MacBook that's powered by an A-series iPhone chip instead of an M-series Mac chip. Rumors suggest it will have a 13-inch display, and it will probably look similar to the MacBook Air.
Some rumors have suggested the MacBook will have a super thin chassis that's reminiscent of the 12-inch MacBook that Apple used to offer. It could have an A18 Pro chip and 16GB RAM. Pricing is unclear, but it should come in at under $999, which is the price for the entry-level MacBook Air.
2025 Updates That Already Happened
October Announcements
On October 15, Apple launched the M5 chip in new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro models.
There were no other major changes to the devices, but the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro feature faster SSDs, and the Vision Pro comes with a new Dual Knit Band.
September 2025
Apple refreshed the iPhone and Apple Watch lineups in September, and debuted a new version of the AirPods Pro, the AirPods Pro 3.
For the iPhone, Apple introduced the $799 iPhone 17, the $999 ultra slim iPhone Air, the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro, and the $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max.
New Apple Watch models include the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch SE 3, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Apple held the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference in June. No new products were announced, but Apple introduced iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, visionOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.
Apple opted to change its numbering scheme for its software updates to make the different numbers less confusing. All OS updates will be numbered with the year going forward, so the "26" in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26 represents the September 2025 to September 2026 release season.
Apple held no events in early 2025, but there were some product that were announced via press release. In late February, Apple released the iPhone 16e, a $599 iPhone that replaces the iPhone SE 3. It has an A18 chip, a single-lens rear camera, and an all-display design with a 6.1-inch OLED display.
Then in March, Apple refreshed the MacBook Air with M4 chips and the Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips. There were no design changes, with the focus on performance updates.
Apple also updated the low-cost iPad with an A16 chip and the iPad Air with the M3 chip, again with no design change.
LG recently debuted a new 32UL950 32-inch UltraFine 4K display, but this latest model, priced at $1300, wasn't designed in partnership with Apple.
It still shares quite a few design similarities with prior UltraFine models, though, so we thought we'd check it out in our latest YouTube video to see whether it's a solid option for the purchase price.
The LG 32UL950 UltraFine Display features a black front panel with slim bezels and a curved base with a plastic monitor arm. It's tilt and height adjustable, so you can get it into the perfect position, and it can even be used in portrait orientation.
As with many LG displays, it's VESA compatible so you can mount it on the wall to save desk space. It is equipped with two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, which can be used for fast data transfer, 60W charging for your MacBook, and daisychaining an additional 4K monitor if desired. There are also two USB-A ports, a DisplayPort, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and built-in speakers.
The 4K display of the LG 32UL950 UltraFine is great, with crisp, detailed images and sharp text, though it's not quite as nice as the 5K UltraFine that LG offers in partnership with Apple.
This is a 32-inch display, but it's not ultrawide, and it has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 60Hz. Running this display at full resolution makes the on-screen elements quite small, so buyers might want to use it at 3360 x 1890 or 3200 x 1800 instead. Other display features include HDR and DCI-P3 support for excellent contrast and color.
For content creation or digital media, the LG 32UL950 is a solid choice, but it's not the greatest for gaming because it maxes out at 60Hz. It does support Radeon FreeSync and Dynamic Action Sync, though.
LG charges $1300 for the display, but it's available on Amazon at a cheaper price of $1100. That still makes it more expensive than LG's 5K monitor, so it's not going to be for everyone.
Make sure to watch our video up above for a closer look at LG's new UltraFine display, and let us know what you think of it in the comments below.
Nomad is a company that creates useful accessories built around rugged simplicity, and in the past it has released iPhone cases, Lightning cables, and Apple Watch straps.
This year, Nomad launched its first metal strap for the Apple Watch, called the Titanium Band, a full-metal link bracelet built with over twenty titanium links and a set of custom lugs, designed for the 44mm Apple Watch Series 4 and the older generation 42mm models.
Design
Similar in design to other metal link bracelets for Apple Watch -- including Apple's own accessory -- Nomad's Titanium Band has a series of metal links connected by a slim clasp system that snaps closed around your wrist. The Titanium Band comes in both Silver and Black, to match both metal finishes available for the Apple Watch Series 4.
To adjust the fit, the accessory has up to ten removable links that lets you customize the band length so that it can fit any wrist, according to Nomad. On the clasp, which sits under your wrist, there is a small and unobtrusive Nomad logo, and the lugs on the band are designed like most other third-party Apple Watch bands, built to slide easily into the Apple Watch case.
Adjusting Size
The Titanium Band ships at the largest size, so most people will have to go through the size adjustment process before they're able to wear the band. I found this process to be lengthier and a bit more troublesome than I was expecting, and definitely not as simple as Apple's Link Bracelet.
Nomad provides you with a link removal tool, which is a small metal device with a screw system that pushes out links in the band. To start, you have to adjust the bottom part of the tool so that the Titanium Band will be at the right height, allowing the tool's needle to slide into one of the links on the band.
Then, you place the Titanium Band on this round platform and align one of the link holes on the band with the needle. Once aligned, you turn the big screw on the tool to push the link in the band out the other end, and continue doing that until you have a few links removed.
Once you have a size you think could fit your wrist, you'll have to reattach the segmented band. To do this, you line up the two sides of the band and re-insert one of the removed pins back into the pin hole. You can only insert the pin so far manually, so you must place the band back on the tool and align the protruding pin with the tool's needle, twisting the screw so that the needle head hits directly onto the pin until it slots back into the Titanium Band.
From this point, you can try on the Titanium Band and make sure it fits. If it doesn't, you'll have to remove more links and repeat the process. For me, it took upwards of 30 minutes to finally find the size that fit well on my wrist, and after much trial-and-error with the link removal tool.
As a point of comparison, Apple's removal process is a simple button-based system that requires you to press down on specific links to remove them, without the need of an external tool. Nomad's solution is noticeably lengthier and more arduous, and it definitely offset the initial excitement I had of getting a new Apple Watch band.
Daily Use
Thankfully, this is a one-time process and in the weeks since I adjusted it Nomad's Titanium Band has been one of my favorite Apple Watch bands to wear. The metal band has notable heft to it, but feels light on my wrist and once I had the right size, it sat super comfortably throughout the day and never moved up or down my wrist.
The process of putting it on and taking it off is easy thanks to the band's clasp system, which folds together and snaps shut to put on, and opens easily by pressing two small buttons on each side to remove it. When putting the Titanium Band on I would occasionally pinch myself as the two ends of clasps came down together too close to my skin, but over time the process became a bit smoother.
I tend to prefer keeping workout-friendly bands on my Apple Watch, since the process of taking bands off and on every day can get a bit cumbersome. Just to test it out, I decided to wear Nomad's Titanium Band during a few workouts, and I came away largely impressed. Although I'd still prefer to wear a Sport Loop, Nomad's metal band never felt heavy or distracting during my workouts, and although it was a bit wet afterwards the metal dried quickly and hasn't been stained in any way.
Although I haven't exactly banged or hit the Titanium Band against many other surfaces over the past few weeks, I can also say that it appears to be largely scratch-free under pretty solid daily wear. One potential worry is that the lugs that connect the Nomad band to the Apple Watch case do have a little bit of wiggle room even when they're secured, lacking the satisfying fit of a first party Apple band.
Still, I've never worried about the Titanium Band unlatching, and it's a breeze to remove it from the case when you want to swap out for a different band, which is not something I can say for all third-party link bracelets I've used over the years.
Bottom Line
Nomad's Titanium Band is a quality, good-looking Apple Watch accessory that's comfortable to wear and has a more reasonable price tag compared to Apple's Link Bracelet. At $179.95 for Nomad's watch band, you'll be saving about $170 when compared to Apple's $349.00 Link Bracelet.
The downside of this trade off means that you'll also be spending more time adjusting the size of Nomad's Titanium Band, a process that is streamlined and far easier with Apple's option. But once this slightly annoying process is completed, the Nomad band is a sleek accessory that pairs nicely with any 42mm or 44mm stainless steel Apple Watch.
How to Buy
You can head to Nomad's website to purchase the Titanium Band for $179.95.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Tile to give MacRumors readers a chance to win a set of Tile Bluetooth trackers that are designed to help you keep track of your most precious and essential items.
Tile makes small Bluetooth enabled tracking accessories that you can put on anything that you don't want to lose, from keys and wallets to your phone, your camera, your watch, your purse, or anything else you don't want to lose.
The idea is that you attach a Tile to something like your keys, and then if and when those keys are misplaced, you open up the Tile app and use the Bluetooth connection between the Tile and your phone to see a map with the location of your keys and to play a sound on the Tile itself. If you lose your phone, you can tap on the Tile and it'll ping your phone, so there's two-way tracking available.
Tile makes a whole range of trackers for different items and purposes. The Tile Pro, for example, is Tile's most advanced tracking accessory. It has a Bluetooth tracking range of 300 feet and it's 3x as loud as other Tile trackers, so it's best for your most valuable items.
With Tile Pro's long tracking range and loud volume, it's appropriate for your purse, your camera bag, your laptop bag, and other things you want to make sure you can keep an eye on and protect from being lost or stolen. Tile Pro is Tile's most expensive tracker at $35, but discounts are available for multi-pack purchases.
Tile Mate is similar to the Tile Pro, but it's a bit more compact and it's more affordable at $25. Tile Mate, like Tile Pro, has a user replaceable battery so you can use it indefinitely. Tile Mate can work from up to 150 feet away over Bluetooth, and 1.5 times louder than other Tile products.
Tile Slim, priced at $30, is Tile's slimmest Bluetooth tracker that's perfect for tucking into a wallet, a passport, or sticking onto the back of a device like a laptop or iPad. Tile Slim has a 100 foot range and it's not quite as loud as the other Tile trackers, but it's still perfect for items where thinness is key.
All of Tile's trackers, from the Pro to the Mate to the Slim will last for one year with the original battery that ships with them. On all trackers but the Slim, you can replace this battery when the year is up, a feature that was added to Tile trackers last October. If you don't want to hassle with battery replacements, Tile has a premium program that offers free battery replacements along with a detailed location history and unlimited sharing, so you can let friends and family help you find a misplaced item.
Tile's trackers are designed to locate your devices close by when they're in Bluetooth range, but the Tile app has a Community Find feature that leverages all the Tile trackers out in the wild to find a lost item if it's not in the vicinity of your own phone, which is a useful bonus.
For MacRumors readers, Tile is offering two tracker bundles that include four Tile Pros, four Tile Mates, and 1 Tile Slim so you can add Bluetooth tracking to all of your important belongings. To participate in the giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (March 22) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 29. The winners will be chosen randomly on March 29 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Later on Friday, Cook met with politician Sun Chunlan, a Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China. The state-run news agency Xinhua claims that Sun made positive remarks about Apple and the company's role in Sino-U.S. relations.
Cook will then likely take a direct flight back to California in time for Apple's media event on Monday at Steve Jobs Theater, where the company is widely expected to introduce two new services for streaming video and magazines/newspapers.
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